Chaeles e



(No Model.)

o. R. BROTHWELL.

Y FLOOR.

10.2951481. Patented Mar. 1.8,I 18.84..

. Wzmssw Ewen/57" i i l Y larme@ UNITED STATES CHARLES R. BROTHWELL, OFBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT,

PHINEAS TAYLOR BARNUM, OF SAME PLACE.

AssIeNoE' r ro FLOOR,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,481, dated March 18, 1884.

Application filed February 4, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES It. BROTH- WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and y State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floors and Methods of Laying the Same; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in floors and the method of constructing and laying the same, but more especially floors adapted for skating and bicycle rinks, and has for its object to provide a floor which, when 1aid,'shall be pleasing in appearance to the eye, and which, when used in rinks, will present the obvious advantage of allowing the skater or rider to travelalways lengthwise of the ooring when making the circuit of the rink, thus doing away with the unpleasant noise and jar consequent to the passage ofthe wheels over the matched edges of the flooring when'running in a direction transverse to the grain; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter fully and in detail set forth, and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may more fully un derstand the construction and adaptation of my improvement and how to make aud use it, I will proceed to describe my invention in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification,

A which shows a plan view of a floor laid in accordance with my improved method.

The central section, A, of the floor is formed by laying the strips upon edge and fastening them one to the other and to the planking beneath by means of nails or screws driven in at an angle. This central section serves as a core or form, to the contour of whose perimeter the surrounding outside strips are adapted, as will be presently explained. The remainder or outer portion, B, of the floor is constructed by bending strips of ooring around the central section already formed, and securely fastening each strip thus bent to the portion of flooring next inside it. By the use of my improvement, not` only is the central portion bound tightly by the outer portion of the flooring, and thus prevented from springing or warping, but the whole door is by its construction madelmuch stronger and less liable to become warped or sprung than by the ordinary method of floor-laying now practiced.

The great advantage gained by my improvement is that I form a track throughout the entire circuit of the floor, the grain of the boards composing said track always running in the same general direction as the perimeter of the inner section, and consequently in 'the course most commonly traversed by the skater or rider. I am enabled to lay a floor most especially adapted for roller skates, bicycles, and all sorts of similar vehicles by gradually increasing the width of the strips from the outer edge of the central portion to the outside perimeter of the track proper, and planing the upper edges of the boards, so thatthe track will present a smooth surface; and it will be readily understood that a track will thereby be formed raised at the outside, and then gradually declining toward the inner portion.

I do not wish to confine myself to the exact shape of the central section shown in the drawing, as it is obvious that the perimetrical contour of this inner portion will determine the direction in which the surrounding strips'of ooring are laid, since it may be desirable to have a sinuous or compound line of travel, whereby fancy movements in skating, bicycle-riding, and the like, may be executed with Vgreater facility.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A floor composed of a central section or core having arranged around the same strips of flooring, each strip adapted to the contour of the outer edge of the next inside strip and securely fastened thereto and to the iioor beneath, substantially as set forth.

2. In a iioor, the combination of a central section composed of boards laid longitudinally and parallel with independent strips of flooring bent and secured around said central section in succeeding bands, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Vitnesses: CHARLES R. BROTHWELL.

S. S. WILLIAMsoN, y WILLIAM J. 'HAvILANn IOO 

